Rijksmuseum Restaurants & Cafés (2026): RIJKS, The Café & Where to Eat
The Rijksmuseum has five on-site food options: RIJKS, the Michelin-starred fine-dining restaurant in the Philips Wing (reservations essential, separate Museumplein entrance, no museum ticket needed); The Café in the atrium for light lunches, sandwiches, and coffee; two espresso bars (one at the foot of the Great Hall stairs, one on the ground floor of the Philips Wing); the summer garden house in the museum gardens (seasonal); and the Picnic Room in the Philips Wing where families can eat food brought from outside. The entire museum is cashless — card payment only.
Most visitors arrive at the Rijksmuseum planning to spend 2 to 3 hours, then realize halfway through that they’re hungry and their feet hurt. The good news: the museum has genuinely good food options across every price point, from a €5 espresso to a 6-course Michelin-starred tasting menu. The confusing part is that the five different places are scattered across the building — some inside the galleries, some accessible without a museum ticket. This guide covers all of them, plus what’s walkable within 5 minutes if you’d rather eat outside the museum.
RIJKS — The Michelin-Starred Restaurant
RIJKS is the Rijksmuseum’s fine-dining restaurant, located in the Philips Wing with a separate entrance from Museumplein. It has held a Michelin star since 2016 under executive chef Joris Bijdendijk, who was named Gault & Millau’s Chef of the Year for 2025. The menu is “Cuisine of the Low Countries” — Dutch produce with international influences. Reservations are essential and require a €25 per-person deposit (deducted from your final bill). A museum ticket is not required to dine.
RIJKS opened in 2014 in the Philips Wing — the south wing of the Rijksmuseum — and received its Michelin star two years later. The restaurant was fully renovated in 2023 with a completely redesigned interior using natural materials. The atmosphere is warm rather than stiff, and the kitchen’s philosophy (“Low Food”) centres on Dutch ingredients handled with the precision you’d expect of a one-Michelin-star restaurant.
Signature dishes include a beetroot millefeuille with Tomasu soy beurre blanc and parsley oil (the restaurant’s best-known plate) and a scallop dish with flat oyster emulsion using Zeeland oysters. The menu changes seasonally.
Hours: Lunch Tuesday to Sunday (from 12:00 PM), dinner Tuesday to Sunday. Closed Mondays.
Reservations: Book directly at rijksrestaurant.nl — a €25 per-person deposit is charged at booking and deducted from the final bill. The restaurant is popular enough that walk-ins are essentially impossible.
Entry: RIJKS has its own entrance on the Museumplein side of the Philips Wing — you do not need a museum ticket to dine, and you don’t need a reservation for the museum to eat at RIJKS. If you’re combining dinner with a museum visit, plan them as two separate bookings.
Outdoor terrace: Weather permitting (typically mid-May through September), RIJKS serves on its garden terrace in the shade of the museum.
Format options: 4-course lunch menu, 6-course dinner menu, à la carte, and seasonal platters. Vegetarian and dietary accommodations available with advance notice.
The Café — In the Atrium
The Café is the Rijksmuseum’s casual in-museum restaurant, set inside the main atrium — the stunning glass-roofed courtyard at the heart of the building. It’s the right choice if you want to eat without leaving your visit.
The menu covers sandwiches, soups, salads, pastries, coffee, and Dutch classics like bitterballen with a drink. Prices are reasonable for a central Amsterdam museum café — expect €8-12 for a sandwich, €6-9 for a soup, and €4-5 for a coffee.
Seating is mostly communal at long tables, which often leads to pleasant conversations with fellow visitors from other countries. Families are welcome; kids’ options are available.
Hours: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM daily — same hours as the museum shop, and both extend 1 hour past the gallery closing.
Access: Requires a museum entry ticket until 5 PM. Between 5 PM and 6 PM, The Café and the Shop are accessible without a ticket — the one-hour ticket-free window at the end of the day.
Reservations: Not taken. Expect to queue at peak lunch hours (12:30–2 PM).
The Two Espresso Bars
Beyond The Café, the museum runs two additional espresso bars for quick coffees and light snacks:
- At the foot of the Great Hall staircase (ground floor, near the entrance) — the natural pit stop before heading up to the Gallery of Honour and The Night Watch
- On the ground floor of the Philips Wing — closer to the Asian Pavilion and the Picnic Room
Both serve espresso, cappuccino, tea, soft drinks, and pastries. Smaller menu than The Café but faster service. Good if you want a 10-minute break rather than a full meal.
The Garden House — Summer Only
During summer (roughly May through September), the museum opens a garden house café in the Rijksmuseum Gardens on the Museumplein side. It’s outdoors, relaxed, and a lovely place to finish a visit with a drink when the weather cooperates. No museum ticket required — the gardens are free and open 9 AM to 6 PM in summer.
The Picnic Room — Bring Your Own Food
If you’ve brought a packed lunch or want to save money on a long museum visit, the Picnic Room in the Philips Wing is designed exactly for this. Families are especially welcome — it doubles as a kids’ activity space with drawing materials and (during school holidays) organized craft sessions.
What to know:
- Outside food and drinks are allowed here (they’re not allowed in the galleries)
- No dedicated service — this is a self-service space
- Often used as a break space by families; see Visiting the Rijksmuseum with Kids
- Free to use for anyone with a museum ticket
- Ask at the Information Desk on arrival for directions
Quick Comparison: Which Should You Pick?
| RIJKS | The Café | Espresso Bars | Garden House | Picnic Room | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Michelin-starred fine dining | Casual museum café | Quick coffee stops | Seasonal outdoor café | Bring-your-own space |
| Price | €65+ lunch, €110+ dinner | €8-15 per person | €4-8 per person | €4-10 per person | Free |
| Reservations | Required | None taken | None | None | None |
| Museum ticket needed? | No | Yes (until 5 PM) | Yes | No | Yes |
| Best for | Special occasions | Lunch during visit | Quick recharge | Summer afternoons | Families, budget |
| Season | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round | May–September | Year-round |
Payment and Practical Logistics
Cashless. The entire museum — including every food option above — is card-only. Visa, Mastercard, Amex, iDEAL, Apple Pay, and Google Pay all accepted. Bring a card; cash will not be taken anywhere inside the building.
Allergies and dietary requirements. The Café and RIJKS both accommodate gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, and common allergies. RIJKS in particular is experienced at adapting its tasting menus — note requirements at the time of booking.
Opening hours for food are not always the same as museum hours. The Café and Shop stay open until 6 PM (one hour past gallery closing). RIJKS operates independently of museum hours. The espresso bars generally match Café hours.
When to Eat — Timing Your Visit Around Food
If you’re visiting for 2-3 hours and want to eat inside the museum:
- Morning visit (9 AM start): Stop at an espresso bar halfway through (around 10:30 AM), then do a proper lunch at The Café around 12 PM when you’re wrapping up
- Midday visit (11 AM start): Eat first at The Café at 11:30 AM before it fills, then visit — your timed entry lets you in later within the day
- Afternoon visit (2 PM start): Skip a meal during the visit, finish by 4:30 PM, grab a drink at The Café or an espresso bar before the museum closes at 5 PM. The Café stays open until 6 PM for non-ticket-holders
- Fine-dining dinner after: Book RIJKS for 7 PM or later; your museum visit in the afternoon complements the meal without needing a ticket for dinner
Restaurants Walking Distance from the Rijksmuseum
If nothing on the museum menus appeals, Museumplein has good alternatives within 5 minutes:
- Café Gasthuys — casual Dutch café, 5-minute walk toward the Jordaan
- The Seafood Bar Spui — 10-minute walk north, strong for seafood lovers
- Pancakes Amsterdam Museumstraat — 3 minutes from the museum, family-friendly, Dutch pancake specialty
- De Pijp neighbourhood — 10-minute walk south for the best concentration of casual restaurants in the area
Museumplein itself also has food trucks and stalls during summer and school holidays — check what’s on when you arrive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a ticket to the Rijksmuseum to eat at RIJKS?
No. RIJKS has its own separate entrance from Museumplein. You don’t need a museum ticket to dine, and museum admission doesn’t include a RIJKS reservation. The two are booked independently.
Is there a good restaurant inside the Rijksmuseum?
Yes — RIJKS, in the Philips Wing, has held a Michelin star since 2016 and is considered one of Amsterdam’s top fine-dining restaurants. For casual food inside the galleries, The Café in the atrium serves sandwiches, soups, and coffee.
Can I bring food into the Rijksmuseum?
Outside food and drinks are not allowed in the galleries, but the Picnic Room in the Philips Wing is specifically designed for visitors who bring their own lunch. The space is free to use with any museum ticket.
How much does it cost to eat at RIJKS?
A 4-course lunch starts around €65 per person; a 6-course dinner starts around €110 per person. Reservations require a €25 per-person deposit (deducted from the final bill).
Is The Café inside the Rijksmuseum expensive?
No — it’s comparable to other central Amsterdam cafés. Expect €8-12 for a sandwich, €6-9 for a soup, and €4-5 for a coffee. Prices are reasonable for a major tourist attraction.
Are the Rijksmuseum restaurants cashless?
Yes. The entire museum is cashless, including every food option. You’ll need a card or mobile payment — no cash accepted anywhere.
Is The Café at the Rijksmuseum kid-friendly?
Yes. The Café has kid-friendly menu options, and the atrium setting is welcoming to families. For a more relaxed family food stop, the Picnic Room in the Philips Wing lets you bring food from outside and includes kids’ activities during school holidays.
Can I eat at The Café without a museum ticket?
Only between 5 PM and 6 PM, when the café and shop are accessible to anyone. Before 5 PM you need a valid museum ticket to enter the atrium where The Café is located.
